Marian Chiraches, Romanian, is a participant in the BSL Executive MBA class of 2014. For Marian, one of the fundamental reasons to choose business studies is his ambition to co-shape a new generation of leaders in his home country, Romania. His long-term professional goal is to bridge the managerial gap in Romania by providing coaching to local business leaders and facilitating their access to higher education programs around the world.

What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about traveling around the world, discovering new places, meeting different people, and getting to know their cultures.

My goal is to develop our future leaders and enable them to drive change and deliver results.

Share the main reason that made you choose to study business.

As a Romanian, I see that we need a new generation of business leaders in order to truly make the transition from a post-communist country to a modern state. We need leaders who can manage and grow companies, drive innovation and raise the country’s competitiveness. Our current leaders were educated during the communist period and they lack the know-how and the experience to apply international standards, grow their businesses and provide value to their customers. My goal is to develop our future leaders and enable them to drive change and deliver results.

How would you describe your BSL experience so far?

I enjoyed most of the courses I had so far, but I think I most enjoyed the Corporate Finance course which I was really afraid of at the beginning. It is impressive how Prof. Tsiklis succeeds in making a finance course attractive and interactive.

The school has a collaborative culture and due to the small class size you can have a personal interaction with the other students as well as with the professors. The dialog with the professors is concrete, direct, and connected to their practical business experience – something you will not find in the textbooks.

How do you see your professional future in 5 years from now?

I see myself running my own business, providing coaching services to business leaders, and facilitating their access to higher education programs around the world.

If there is one significant change you could accomplish in the world, what would it be?

I would help people around the world have access to quality water as I believe that the lack of water supplies today hinders people from satisfying their basic needs.

Why would you recommend BSL to your friends and peers?

The BSL EMBA program provides the learning environment that is ideally suited to address my personal, educational and professional priorities. BSL helps you develop your personal leadership style, improve your problem-solving capabilities, and apply an entrepreneurial approach to business.

For me personally, the community environment, in combination with the small class size, is appealing. I appreciate the comfort level created by having personal relationships with professors and other peers. The exposure to a truly international environment provides me with a great opportunity to broaden my horizons and enhance my ability to function within an environment of diverse influences.

What I also found unique is the career counselling support provided in the second part of the EMBA program that will help guide my next career move.

Academically, the program structure, which was co-created with leading CEO’s and HR directors, will provide me with the relevant business education that is demanded by today’s marketplace. Having active business practitioners as professors and guest speakers ensures that the program is continuously updated and connected to the requirements of international business.

Professionally, I believe that the Management Report is an excellent opportunity to put in practice the accumulated know-how and newly acquired leadership skills. What I also found unique is the career counselling support provided in the second part of the EMBA program that will help me decide on my next career move. Last but not least, I have the chance to build an international network in a new country that might open unexpected future opportunities.